Machine for detecting and sorting articles



Dec. 13, 1927. 1,652,390- s. sou-rm MACHINE FOR DETECTING AND SORTING ARTICLES Fild Dec.14. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet '1 v v INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Dec. 13, l927.' 1,652,390 s. BOUTIN MACHINE FOR DETECTING AND SQRTING ARTICLES Filed De0.14. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q IWORQ 5% 'BY YW ATTORNEYS &

Dec. 13, 1927. l I 1,652,390

. S..BOUTIN MACHINE FOR DETECTING AND SORTING ARTICLES Filed Dec, 14. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR BY 2M ATTORNEYS Dec. 13, 1927. 1,652,390

s. sou-rm.

: MACHINE FOR DETECTING AND SORTING ARTICLES Filed Dec. 14, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet j ATTQRNE'YS Patented Dec. 13, I

'7 UNITED ST T S PAT NT :Q IC

STANLEY nournv, or SPRINGFIELD, AMASSACHUSETTS; VASSIGNORfTO wILLIAMn. GILBERT, GEORGE H. nmrsrmnnnnnanonn nucxwonrrr, TRUSTEES, ALL or SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, nomeBUsINEss AS DUCKWORTH GHAINSc MAN- UIACTUBING COMPANY.

' 'MACHINEVFOB nnrncrnvq AND soRrme Ii'rIcLEs.

' 9 plication filed'beeenib'cr 14, 1922. Serial No. 606,995.

This" invention relates'to an apparatus for detectingand sorting articles such as flat plates, which havea rightsideand a wrong side and contemplates'theprovision of means 5 for determining whether such a plate ".18 f

right side flupjand if not right side up to turn it over, togetherjwith means for: assem- Qbling orl stacking the platesfthus sorted all.v

with their Corresponding sides facing inthe same direction. p

The particular embodiment of the invention "herewith illustrated ismore especially designed to handle such articles as the side plates of roller chains commonly used in'the driving mechanism of bicycles, motorcycles,

etc, but it will be obvious that the general principles and advantages of the invention will be found applicable to a variety of .uses.

Theside plates of such roller chains are usually formed withfwhat is here" termed for convenience of description, a right. side ;having bevelled corners anda wrong side; having sharp and unbevelled corners. The manufacture of such chainsis greatly facilichain side plate-such as is adapted to be tated by having the side plates supplied with the same side thereof uppermost whereby they may be more readily assembled with the other elements making up the chaini in the" fabrication process. "The apparatus of. the

chains in order that they may bem'o e easily handled in the subsequent operations of manufacturing the chain.

Inthe preferred embodiment of the in;

' V ing mechanisms hereinafter more particu- Fig. lis a side elevation of the i'nachinel;

: for .receiving plates (such as P, Fig. 15) fed 1 from the hopper 5 preparatory to being .de- V ventionshown in the drawings;

showing certain details in section; g

Fig-2 is a detail section through a portion of the hopper bottom along line 2 2 7 for receiving the plates after they have been.

1: of-Fi'g. 7;

Fig. 4 is an ing end'of a discharge chute;

Fig.16iis an enlarged View in cross-section of a di'scharge chute along line of.

Fig. 'I as a viewlooking from above, of-

the feeding hopper-with end portions there-' offcut away; T I

Fig.8 isa view in cross-section Of Said r feeding ihopper along the'lines. 8 8f of vFig.9is afdetailyiew partly in section or I l V the stacking chamber;

Fig. 10 is a detail perspective of the lower end of a retaining latch located atv thebots tom of said'stacking chamber A 1 Fig-11 's a plan view of the base plate: of the machine withparts mounted thereon and showing the stacking chamber incrosssection;

Fig. 12 is a view' in section of the base plate of the machine along the line 1212 of Fig. 10 andshowing in side elevation the detector plunger and. abutment;- 7

Fig. 13 is a detail View showing the coaction of the plunger and abutment on an interposedplatey 1 r I Fig. 14 is' an enlarged view of the abut andshoulder thereof; and

ment showing the curved abutting surface Fig. 15 is a perspective, viewof a roller.

handled in the present machine,

' "Referring more particularly to the drawingS, the main frame ofthe' machine conframe and carry at theend-of their upturned portions tie rod. 4 the latter serving as abear? bed 1 ing for a rocking feed hoppe'ri 5. 'A base plate 1. mounted. on the serves as support for the detector and sort larly described, together with magazines 6 tectedfand sorted and stacking chambers 7 sorted andproperly arranged. Inclined disframe and bracket arms 3, lead from tn feedingliopper to the magazines 6. i 1

- i It will be observed'that fin the apparatus illustrated, threecomplete sets of discharge chutes, ,magazines, detector and sorting- 1 mechanisms; and stacking chambers are pro-1,- t vided :on 01161113111: frame but thistriplicate r arrangement of the partsjnained, 1s a mere matter of convenience for increased output and it should be understood that each one of said sets operates independently of the other and'in a similar manner.

Feeding 1110mm mechanism.

The feeding hopper is designed to contain a supply of platesP to be sorted, and to teed said plates" therefrom separately. The plates are fed from-the feeding. hopper in a single column down one or the other of the discharge chutes8 and the construe- .tion and operation of the feeding; hopper for s0 feeding the plateswill now .bedescribed. The hopper-5411a beef filly-Smil able box like construction with a. substan tially flat bottom and i open top-and each i end of the hopper inay be-partially covered; at"

wroll 1:2 riding: on a cam: 13 which isfixedto a suitable cam: shaft. 14.1 The outer end of said rocking lever 111 is connected byrod 15 to said hopper. Suitable means such as a turn buckle 16 may be provided onitherod 15 m adjustingiiits length: and varyingjtlie rocking movement.

The bottom of the hopper'is iformedpreterably'in two portions ar reairportion $17 and a forward portion 18" (seeFigsQ) and said bottom portions are preferably at aslight angle to one another and converge toward oneorinore exitslots, such as 19, formed throughthebottbni of the hopper. Thisexit slot 19" preferably formed in alignment withrthe rear' bottom portion 17 and is i of such size asto permit: only oneplate at a time to pass therethrougli. It will be observed from Fig. Qthatthe receivingend of a discharge chuttrS is located adjacent the outer end ot each exit slot 19.

In order to prevenha plate in'ipmperlj u aligned witlrsanlexit slot 19 from jamming themin and clogging the same, means are preferably provided for periodically expanding the entrance to said: slot whereby any link caught therein will be released dining the melting of the hopper. This expam sion of the entrance to said exit slot19 preterablyftakes placeon the l'meltward rocking movement of thehopper'o. that is, when the rearenthot said hopper is down. The ex pansion of said exitfslot is accomplished as follows. Yieldinglymounted at the entrance to-said slot 19 is a guard plate 20, the upper side of which forms continuation withthe front bottom portion 18; and the lower side of which forms the top wall. at the entrance to said slot. The plate ZOis fixed tostuds 21 which extend through the bottom portion 17 of said hopper aud is normally held'domn to=the position shown inFig; Q-byr springs 7 23 surrouiuling said studs 21'. "llhcyguard plate when in:itslowerpositionitis spaced from the bottom of the slot 19 barely sufl'icieut to allowa single-plate to slide there under and the sharp for aid edge of said guard plate 20dirertsother plates than the one passing thereunder to the torurardbou tom port-ion of said hopper. A raising, moreinent is periodicallyimparted t'ofthej guard plate 20 to the position shown infFig; 3 by means of a rocking lever 24 pivoted" at 25"on the hopper bottom and connectml at: its rear end by rod 26 tothe rockingleyeif 11. A turn buckle 27 may also be'l'n'ovided for adjusting the {length-of the rod'26. flThe forward end oi? said lever 24-I engagesa our plunger 25 slidably anounted and guided through the bottom 17 andhavingitsnpper. end? in engagement with saidguard plate 20. The rear bottom portion l'i-ot the hopper preferably formed with one/or more straight, channel groovesQS. there being as many of such channel grooves in this Portion of the hopper. as there are exit slots 19 and dis charge chutes 8. Each of said channel grooves is' formed as a continuation otrts respective exit slot ldsmas to direct plates which lie in saidchannel groove towardsaidi exitslot during the forward rocking niove IIIGTlt of thehopper The channel groove 28 isof such dimensionsas to permit. only a single row or column of platesto lieflat wise therein, this beiug accomplished by. having the depth of the channel groove barely exceed the thicltnessot' a plate Paiid its Wlfltli barely exceed the width of a plate. Directing cleats 22 of various shapes may also be provided upon the bottom portionliT- ot the hopper so as to divert the plates sliding back and forth in said hopper into said channel grooves 28.. i t

A stop pin 29 is arrangedso as to protrude periodically into each channel grooye and i said stop pins are preferably mounted adjacent the entrance to the exit slotsdfiso as to assist inclearing any jam o't".platesfthat might occur atisaid entrance. The rocking of the hopper 5 piwiodically alignsfeach channel groove 28 and exit slot 1!.) with its respective discharge chute S as shown in Fig. 2 and the stop pins fitl are mm'ed into. the channel grooves 28 as to block. the plates in said channel groorcs from sliding out said exit slots lfi until in. I at thetiine said exit slots are aligned withlthe discharge chutes 8. The pins Qtlare then withdrawn to permittheplates P to slide into the discharge chutes 8. The stopping pins 29 are preferably guided through the bottom oi the hoppe and are loosely connected at their Detector and sorting mechanism.

The plates'fed from the hopper 5 through the several exit slots 19 are guided by the discharge chutes 8 to the magazines 6 preparatory to being delivered to the detector and sorting mechanism. The discharge chute 8, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, providesa channelled passageway for guiding the column of plates flowing therethrough, the bottom of said passageway at suitable portions thereof, being slotted, as at 39, to permit egress of theaccumulated dirt, or of under size plates. The upper end of each discharge chute 8 is provided with a yieldingly mounted cover plate. 40 in. the form of a spring member fastened at one end to the chute, as at '41, and having at its free end a bearing member42 extending partially'into the channel groove of said chute 8 so as to determine the size of the receiving end of said channel chute. The purpose of mounting said cover plate 40 in a yielding manner, as shown, is to allow the same to give way whenever a plate happens to lie partly in the exit slot 19 and partly in the receiving end of the chute 8 when the feeding hopper 5 is rocked backwardly.

Since each of the three mechanisms herewith shown for detecting and sorting the plates are alike,'it will sufiice to describe one of them in detail; The'magazine 6 is preferably made in the form of a block having an upwardly opening recess 38 which is of such shape and dimensions as to receive a plurality of plates P'piled' one above the other. The bottom of the recess 38 is pro- Vided by the base plate 1, upon which the magazine 6 is mounted and the lower end of the discharge chute 8 is covered by a guard. member 39' (see Fig. 11) which normally extends across the top of the chute'8 and limits the number of plates which may be piled in said magazine. a

The detector and sorting mechanism'spe cifically comprises an. abutment block 43- mounted on the base plate 1, and a sliding detector plunger 44, said parts being moved in proper coactive relationas hereinafter described for detecting and sorting the plates.

As shown in Figs. 12, 13, and 14, the abutment 43 has a concave abutting surface 45 with aslight shoulder 46 atthe lower end thereof adjacent the base plate 1'. The forward end of the plunger 44 is slotted, as

plate interposed between said plunger and abutment.

The plates P are fed successively one by onefrom the bottom of the magazine 6 to a position between said plunger and abutment, as shown in Fig. 11, by means of a reciprocating slide finger 48 whichworks through the bottom of said magazine 6 alongthe top of said base plate 1. The slide finger 48 is carriedby slide bar 49 suitably guided on said base plate 1 and connected at its .outer end by link 50 to rocking lever'51 pivoted at 51 on the main frame and having cam roll 52 Working against a cam 53 mounted on cam shaft 54. A spring 55 connected to said lever 51 and to afportion of the main frame, tends to keep said cam roll 52 in bearing engagement on its cam 53. Each plate fed from the magazine 6 to a position between said plunger '44 and abutment 43 is yieldingly held in flatwise position therebetween and on the base plate 1 by means of the holding member 58. As each plate P reaches this position, the plunger 44 is yieldingly moved aga-instthe same to force the plunger has a constant tendency to move to i the right, looking at Fig. 12. The plunger 44 is periodically-moved to the left by engagement of the lower end of its springstud 57 With an actuating jstud 62ecarried on an actuatingv bar 63. The actuating bar 63 is slidably guided in the main frame and carries a number of said actuating studs 62 for actuating the plungers of other and similar detectingand sorting mechanisms which may be mounted on the frame, as shown in Fig. 4. Movement is imparted to said actuating bar 63 by means of a cam roll 64carried in working engagement with a cam 65- The cam roll fixed to'said cam shaft 54. 64 is constantly kept in working engagement with its cam 65 by the springor springs 60. I It will be noted from Fig. 15 that the par. ticular form ofplate to be detected or sorted in the present machine is a flat member with slightly bevelled corners, at one side thereof, and sharp unbevelled corners at the other of the plate.

side thereof. The present machine is designed to arrange or sort said .aplates with the bevelled side uppermost. For this purposepthe shoulder l-(i at the lmvercdge of the abutting surface 4:5 is carefully designed to be of just sutiicient heightto arresta plate I which prescntsa sharp or unbevellcdcorner thereto when pressed thereagainst by the detecting pressure of the plunger M. The shoulder to, however, is designed notctoarrest a plate 1 which presents a. bevelled corner =thcreto whereby pressure from said detecting plunger will cause the .bevelled edge of such a plate P to ride upwardly against the concave abutting surface 15, as shown in Fig. 12. The curved abutting surface is extended tar enough to guide the upturned edge of said plate P com pletely around to an overturned position As the plate thus reaches its turned over position. the PlHHQQI i4 is timed to withdraw to the left for allowing said plate to be "l ed fUlWtlltl by the next incoming plate. The holding member 5b which gives way during the turning over :DlOVL- ment of the plate, will immediately press said plate downwardly flat against the base plate 1' in its right side up position.

The foregoing action takes place quickly and between intervalsof feeding plates from the magazine (5. so :that by the time a su(:' ceeding plate is fed from said magazine 6, the previous plate has either been detected and allowed to remain unturned, orhasbecn overturned to its right side up position, whereby the succeeding plate in being fed forward bct-weenthe plunger and abutment will thrust the previous plate ahead of it to a. position beneath a guide strap 66 (see Fi n 11). From this position the plate is fed by the following plate upon the next succeeding step into a position beneath the stacking i chamber 7.

As each plate is thus fed forward to a positionbeneath the open end of stacking chamber 7, a vertical plunger (37 (see Figs. 1 and 9) is periodically moved upwardly to carrysaid plate upwardly intosaid stackine chamber. The lower-end of said, chamber t is provided with holding: latches (-38, the lower edge of which is bevelled at 09 as shown in Fig. 10, which act to retain the plates in said stacking chamber as fast as they are moved upwardly therein. The plunger 67 is guided through the base plate 1 for vertically reciprocating movement and is actuated by a connecting rod (38 pivotally carried at its lower end upon rockingr lever 69. The rocking lever (i9 is pivoted at 70 upon the main trau'ie and carries a cam roll 71 working against a cam T2 fixed to said cam shaft 54. Aspring 73 connected tothe main frame and to the outer naomeeo end of said lever 69 tends'to hold saidcmn roll in working engagement with the cam.

Operation. y The operation of the machine, iwhile clearly apparent from theprevious ClGSCIIIJ tion, 1s briefly as follows: i The plates P contained in the hopper 5 are slid back and forth along the bottomrof said hopper bythe rocking movement thereof which action causes a supplyof plates to find their way into the channel grooves 28 out of the exit slots 19, and down the discharge chutes 8 to the magazines 6. i

From the bottom mt .each .magazine the platesare fed forward successively by a slide linger 48 to a position bctweensa. detector plunger il and abutment L3. The transversely movable detector gplunger 441 is then allowed by its actuating cam 65 to press the plate P against the abutment d3. In this manner the detecting action occurs, for if the plateP be right side up, its .unbevelled corner will be arrested by the shoulder 46 Of the abutment 4:3. and no overturnin movement thereof will take place. Shoul its.

however, the plate P be wrong side up bevelled corner will ride over the shoulder l6. and the plate guided by the curved .surtaco 45 of the abutment .43 will be over.- turned. The parts are so timed that thistletecting and overturning action of the plate takes place between the intervals of feeding plates from the magazine (hand the slide linger 4&8 thus feeds plates one in advance respects while still en 'iloying the essential and novel features of the invention inthe attainment of the same results. Accordingly, I do notwish my invention to be limited to the precise embodimentshown but rather tobe determined by the appended claims interpreted broadly.

\Vhat I claim is: i

1. In a machine of theclass described in combination, a hopper for containing a supply of plates to be sorted. each plate having a. right side with a bevelled cornerand a wrong side with an unbevelled corner, means for feeding said plates separately from said hopper, detector and sortingmcchanism for determining which side of: each plate thus i cd is uppermost and actingto turn over any such plate the wrong sideof which is uppermost and a chute to receive the said plates. A

2. In a machine of the class described, a table for supporting a magazine .for holding a stack of unsorted plates and a magazine for holding a stack of sorted plates, members between sald magazines to form'a guideway for the passage of plates therebetween, means for feeding plates through said guideway, means associated with said guideway for reversing certain of said plates duringtheir passage therethrough, an elevator be ow one of said magazines for elevating plates as they are delivered thereonto, and

members carried by the walls of said magazine for holding the lowermost plate of the stack above said support to allow successive plates to be fed therebelow.

3. In a machine of the class described, a,

operate with said side wall for reversing such plates as have their wrong sides upper-v most. 7

4. In a machine of the class described, separate magazines for holding stacks of plates which have right and wrong sides with bevelled and unbevelled edges respectively, a guideway connecting said magazines, means for feeding platessuccessively through said guideway between said magazines, a portion ofone side of said guideway being curved upwardly so as to overlie plates therein and a plunger movable towards and awayfrom said portion for engaging a side of said plates and adapted to cooperate with said side to reverse such plates as have their wrong sides uppermost.

5. In a machine of the class described, a table for supporting a magazine for holding a stack of unsorted plates and a magazine :for holding a stack of sorted plates, a guideway between said magazines, means associated with said guideway for reversing certain of said plates, an elevator below one of said magazines for moving plates delivered thereon'to upwardly into said magazine and yieldable stop members above said support and associated with a wall of said magazine for engaging the plates as they are moved upwardly by the elevator whereby the stack is supported by the lowermost plate.

6. In a machine of the class described in combination, detector and sorting mechanism for plates. having a right side and a wrong side, said detector and sorting mechanism comprising a plunger and a curved abutment having a shoulder at its loweredge, coacting to detect which side of a plate fed thereto is uppermost and to turn over any plate the wrong side of which is uppermost, and means for feeding plates to said detector and sorting mechanism.

7. In a machine of the class described in combination, detector and sorting mechanism for plates having a right side with a bevelled corner and a wrong side with an unbevelled corner, said detector and sorting imechanism comprising a plunger and a curved abutment, means for feeding plates between said plunger abutment, means for periodically moving said plunger toward said abutment in a yielding manner, said abutment having a shoulder at its lower edge designed to arrest a plate which presents an unbevelled corner thereto and to allow a plate presenting a bevelled corner thereto to be turned over by the coaction of said plunger and curved abutment.

8. In a machine of the class described in combination, detector and .sorting mechanism for plates having a right side with a bevelled corner and a wrong side with an unbevelled corner, said detector andsorting 'mechanism comprising a plunger and a curved abutment, means for feeding plates in flatwise position between said plunger and abutment, a yielding member tending to hold each plate flatwise between said plunger and abutment, means for periodically moving said plunger toward said abutment in a yielding manner, said abutment having a shoulder at its lower edge designed to arrest a plate which presents an unbevelled corner thereto and to allow a plate presenting a bevelled corner thereto to be turned over by the coaction of said plunger and curved abutment.

9. In a machine of the class described in combination, detector mechanism for plates having a right side with a bevelled corner and a wrong side with an unbevelled corner,

toward said abutment in a yielding manner,

said abutment having a shoulder designed to arrest a plate which presents an unbevelled corner thereto-and not arrest a plate which presents a bevelled corner thereto;

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

STANLEY BOUTIN. 

